


Safe

by Twice_before_Friday



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Gil and Jackie are the best, Malcolm Bright Needs a Hug, Young Malcolm Bright
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22226005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twice_before_Friday/pseuds/Twice_before_Friday
Summary: Gil stood on the front porch, watching as the sleek black car glided to a stop by the curb. He frowned as the back door stayed stubbornly closed. Usually the kid flew out of the car and was running up the stairs to him before the tires had stopped turning, mouth running a mile a minute as he explained in detail the latest new fact he had learned.The driver stepped out of the car and moved to the back door, holding it open for his young charge. Gil made his way down the steps and over to the car, catching site of Malcolm in the backseat, staring vacantly forward, entirely lost in the depths of his mind.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 143





	Safe

**Author's Note:**

> Does anyone else find it strange that our entire fandom seems to have fallen in love with a character that has never even been on the show? I wanted to try my hand at wearing my team Gil-and-Jackie colours, too.

Gil stood on the front porch, watching as the sleek black car glided to a stop by the curb. He frowned as the back door stayed stubbornly closed. Usually the kid flew out of the car and was running up the stairs to him before the tires had stopped turning, mouth running a mile a minute as he explained in detail the latest new fact he had learned.

The driver stepped out of the car and moved to the back door, holding it open for his young charge. Gil made his way down the steps and over to the car, catching site of Malcolm in the backseat, staring vacantly forward, entirely lost in the depths of his mind.

Gil crouched down next to the backseat of the car and gently asked, "Hey kid. Everything okay?"

Malcolm snapped his head towards Gil at the same time as he tried, unsuccessfully, to jerk his body away from the door, halted by the seatbelt sitting snug across his waist and shoulders. Malcolm's wide eyes were red rimmed as he stared at Gil for several seconds before he realized where he was, shoulders sagging and a blush rising to his cheeks.

"Sorry Gil," he whispered as he struggled with the seatbelt buckle, his shaking hands fumbling as he tried to unlatch it.

Gil reached across to undo the buckle for him before moving his hand to rest on the back of Malcolm's neck, a comforting gesture that usually helped to calm the kid down when he was getting worked up. 

"No need to apologize. Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine Gil," Malcolm said, looking at his hands as they fidgeted in his lap.

Gil decided not to press it right away. They had all weekend to sort out whatever was wrong, right now he just wanted to get Malcolm inside and show him that he was safe and loved.

"Jackie's making empanadas, if you want to go in and help," Gil offered as he stood, knowing that Malcolm always loved spending time in the kitchen with Jackie.

"Kay," Malcolm said quietly, wriggling his way out of the car, past Gil, and making his way up to the house, carrying a tension in his shoulders that Gil thought no 12 year old should ever know. Malcolm looked unsure as he reached the door, looking back and forth between Gil and the inside of the house before finally walking through the door. Once Malcolm had disappeared inside, Gil turned to the driver.

"Hey, Harrison. Any idea what that was all about?" 

"No, sir," Harrison responded. Gil had given up on asking the man to stop calling him 'sir' months ago. It was clearly a battle he would never win when he was up against the epitome of professionalism. "He was crying when I picked him up from school, but he said that he didn't want to talk about it." Harrison had opened the trunk as he spoke and pulled out a small suitcase and Malcolm's backpack. As always, Gil offered to take them. As always, Harrison politely declined and carried the bags to the front door himself.

Harrison paused as he was about to turn back towards the car. "If it's not too forward of me to say, I do hope you're able to figure out what's wrong, sir. Dropping him off here is usually the happiest I see him. And it's so rare to see him smile."

Gil smiled at the man who had been dropping Malcolm off at the house one weekend a month for the past two years. He knew that Harrison was looking out for Malcolm as best he could, too. "I'll get him sorted. By the time you come back for him on Sunday, he'll be smiling again. I'm sure of it."

With a nod, Harrison strode back to his car and headed back to the Whitly residence, leaving the young man in the detective's care.

Gil made his way into the house and headed directly for the kitchen, following the sounds of the upbeat music and Jackie's carefree voice as they floated down the hall. He propped himself against the door frame and watched as the two people he loved most in the world were rolling out dough and cutting it into circles. Jackie looked radiant. She always did when she was cooking. She told Gil once that her love of cooking had less to do with the act itself, and more to do with the knowledge that her efforts were going to be enjoyed by, and would nourish, the ones she loved. And once you added Malcolm Whitly to the mix, Jackie's joy shone like a beacon in the night.

Malcolm, on the other hand, was still looking far too reserved for Gil's liking. Usually the kitchen was filled with laughter and a whirlwind of blissful chaos when Jackie and Malcolm were cooking together, as they danced around one another in the cozy kitchen, chopping and mixing, taking one tray out of the oven to replace it with another. Today, Malcolm hadn't even cracked a smile, and Gil found himself missing the cheerful giggles and non-stop prattle about the inner workings of a clock or the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today, the kid's shoulders were hunched up to his ears and the tremble in his hand was nearly as bad as it had been those awful few months after the arrest of his father. Today, Malcolm looked ready to break.

Jackie was chatting in a way that was clearly an attempt to draw Malcolm out of his shell, but Malcolm was only offering terse answers, if he even bothered to respond at all. He was still dutifully helping with the empanadas, but there was none of the satisfaction that normally radiated from him when he got to spend time with Jackie, doing something useful. He always seemed happiest when he got to be helpful.

"Malcolm, sweetheart, can you get the stuffing from the fridge? It's in the big bowl on the top shelf," Jackie asked.

Malcolm wandered to the fridge with a frown on his face and Jackie took advantage of the time that he was turned away to shoot Gil a questioning look. Unfortunately, Gil had no answers to offer and just shrugged in response. Malcolm returned quickly with the bowl, setting it carefully on the counter near the dough.

"Thank you Malcolm," Jackie placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a little squeeze, and Gil watched Malcolm's face fall as he looked down at the dough on the counter. 

As much as Gil wanted to find out what was wrong and fix it, he knew that coming at it head-on wouldn't get him anywhere. 

Nearly two years ago, after the arrest, Malcolm completely shut down. For months, he didn't speak, didn't interact with anyone, was nearly catatonic at times. At the time, Jessica favoured a direct approach in trying to get Malcolm to open up. She constantly asked him what was wrong, hovered over him as she tried so hard - too hard - to make it better. It was one of many factors that led to Malcolm running off one day, a frantic search to find him, and the start of one weekend a month with Gil and Jackie.

Gil learned early on that the best way to get the kid to open up, was to give him space to breathe and make him feel safe enough to talk. And Gil was willing to do anything to make Malcolm feel secure and ready to ask for whatever help he needed.

"If you guys don't need me, I have a little bit of work I need to finish..." Gil said, expecting that giving Malcolm and Jackie some time alone might settle him in a little, but Malcolm's panicked look as he turned to leave froze him in his tracks. Malcolm had taken an aborted step towards Gil, reaching out but dropping his hand before he made contact. Gil was unsure what the problem was, but he knew he needed to do something to get rid of the terror in the kids eyes.

"I was thinking that, if it's okay with you guys, maybe I could work at the table in here?" Gil offered, gauging Malcolm's reaction as he continued. "I know the kitchen belongs to you two," he said, hands raised in surrender and a smile on his face, "but I figure if I work in here, I'm still part of the team."

The relief coming from Malcolm was palpable. Jackie furrowed her brow, looking at Gil with a concerned expression as she noticed Malcolm’s reactions. 

Gil and Jackie had been together over half their lives and had long since mastered the art of the silent conversation. With a quick look, they were on the same page; keep things light and give Malcolm whatever he needed, and right now, for whatever reason, he needed them together in the kitchen.

"Well," Jackie said lightly, "I just don't know about this. I think Malcolm and I will need to confer." Jackie leaned over to Malcolm and stage whispered, "What do you think? Should we let him into our clubhouse?"

The corners of Malcolm's lips twitched up and the ugly ball of anxiety that had been coiling in Gil's stomach since the car pulled up finally loosened a little. Malcolm offered a small nod, and Jackie ruffled his hair as she stood up, beaming.

"It's been decided. You may join us."

Gil chuckled and teasingly bowed as he said, "Well thank you, your highness."

Malcolm laughed lightly and leaned into Jackie as he continued cutting dough circles on the counter. 

"I'm just going to grab my files. Back in a second," Gil said, and noticed the smile slide off of Malcolm's face. He made sure to hurry and was back in the kitchen only a couple minutes later, but by the time he returned, it looked like the weight of the world had settled on Malcolm's tiny shoulders once again.

Gil sat at the table and started flipping through the file of his latest case, ensuring he kept the contents well out of Malcolm's view. Malcolm and Jackie continued working on the empanadas, Jackie filling and folding, Malcom crimping the edges with a fork. That part was always his favourite and he attacked it with a single minded focus, trying his best to make the lines perfectly straight and evenly spaced.

As the afternoon ticked by, Malcolm slowly relaxed and started talking more, his beautiful smile making more frequent appearances. As Jackie scooped the last of the filling into the dough, setting the final two pastries in front of Malcolm to press, she said, "I'm going to run to the washroom and then we'll get these lovely empanadas in the oven, alright?"

Malcolm froze as he stared up at her with big blue eyes, silently pleading with her not to leave. She took his face in her hands and dropped a kiss on his forehead, lightly whispering, "I'll just be a minute, love." But Gil noticed the tears in her eyes as she turned and walked out of the kitchen. He knew it broke her heart every time she saw fear on Malcolm's face, and unfortunately, the kid had more fear than any one person should have to face, let alone a 12 year old boy. 

Malcolm stood paralyzed at the counter, holding the fork in a death grip as he waited for Jackie to return. His head was turned slightly towards the kitchen door, obviously watching for Jackie, and from where Gil was sitting he could see Malcolm silently moving his lips, making Gil wonder if he was actually praying. Gil was getting more concerned by the minute, watching the distress gain momentum as Malcolm's body tensed and his breaths came quicker the longer that Jackie was gone.

Gil couldn't just sit back and let Malcolm suffer alone anymore. "Hey kid, you doing okay? You seem a little worried about something."

Malcolm looked over at Gil with wide eyes and the haunted look on his face shattered Gil's heart. He tossed the file he was holding on the table and was across the room between one breath and the next, dropping to one knee and pulling Malcolm in for a tight hug.

"Hey buddy, it's alright," Gil said, holding him close and rubbing a hand soothingly over his back. "Whatever the problem is, we can fix it." Malcolm was trembling in his arms and Gil could tell he was just barely containing the sobs that were trying to break free as his breathing hitched next to Gil's ear.

Malcolm sagged a little in his arms at the same time as he heard Jackie breathe out a small "oh" behind him.

Gil was hesitant to let go. If it were at all possible he'd keep Malcolm wrapped up and safe in his arms until he was an adult. But he knew that it wasn't an option, so he eventually pulled back, keeping a firm hold on Malcolm's shoulders as he tried to get the kid to look him in the eye. Malcolm's watery eyes were downcast but his breathing had at least calmed down with Jackie's return.

"What's the matter kid," Gil asked softly, brushing Malcolm's hair behind his ear. Malcolm just shook his head, bottom lip quivering.

Jackie, the miracle that she was, could tell that Malcolm wasn't ready to talk and that Gil was baffled about how to help, so she stepped forward and lightly proclaimed, "Let's get these empanadas cooking, hmm?"

She glided over to the oven and turned it on to preheat before walking back to the two most important men in her life, placing a hand on Malcolm's head and asking, "Would you mind finishing those last two empanadas, Malcolm?" 

It seemed Malcolm was more than happy to take a step back and turn away from the heated moment. Gil remained on one knee, a sadness set deep in his eyes, and Jackie leaned down to brush her lips over his before whispering in his ear, "We'll figure it out."

Gil offered a tight smile as he got back to his feet, taking Jackie's lead and letting everything go for the time being. He made himself comfortable at the table, but gave up on even pretending to work, instead keeping a close watch on the proceedings as they got the empanadas in the oven and Jackie started heating up the soup on the stovetop.

Gil and Jackie both made a point to stay with Malcolm in the kitchen as dinner cooked, and Malcolm slowly calmed down and started engaging in conversation, albeit tentatively. Once everything was cooked, they sat down together at the table and enjoyed the fruits of their labour, Gil gushing over how delicious the empanadas were and rumpling a hand through Malcolm's hair.

Everything seemed to be settling into their normal routine as the three of them moved into the living room after dinner, getting comfortable on the couch together with Malcolm tucked firmly between Gil and Jackie, as Gil pressed play on the Toy Story 2 VHS that he had rented for the weekend.

Bathroom breaks were a bit of a setback to their tentative tranquility. Anytime any of them needed to leave, Malcolm tensed up as he pulled himself to the edge of his seat, his small hand trembling fiercely until they were all settled back on the couch. 

Usually the three of them would play a board game on Friday night, but Jackie and Gil agreed with a glance that curling up on the couch was a better option for the night. Malcolm finally seemed to be relaxing after Gil had popped out the Toy Story tape and put in Star Wars Episode 1. Gil had his arm wrapped snuggly over Malcolm's shoulders and Malcolm's face was half buried in Gil's sweater as they watched the second film. 

Maybe halfway through the movie, Malcolm's breathing became deep and slow and Gil glanced down to find Malcolm fast asleep, curled up against his side. He looked over to Jackie with a small smile. She smiled back when she noticed that Malcolm was sound asleep, saddened by the fact that it was the first time all night that he looked peaceful, but glad that he had finally found a reprieve from the anxiety that had been clawing at him all day.

"I'm going to go do the dishes," Jackie whispered. As Gil moved to shift Malcolm, obviously intending to help, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Stay with him. He looks so peaceful. And I happen to know that you are very comfortable to sleep on." She smiled at him as she stood, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek before heading out of the room. 

When the movie ended, Gil scooped Malcolm up and took him up to his room (it used to be called the spare room, but at some time in the last couple years, they had all started calling it Malcolm's room). He settled him into bed, tucking him in and running a hand through his hair before planting a gentle kiss on his forehead and whispering, "sweet dreams." 

Gil found Jackie getting ready for bed in their bedroom and plopped on the side of the matress with a sigh.

"I can't fix it if I don't know what's wrong," Gil voiced the thought that had been nagging at him for hours.

Jackie sat down beside him, rubbing lotion into her hands as she leaned into him, bumping a shoulder against his chest. "I know. I want to fix it too. Hopefully in the morning things will look a little brighter and we can find out what's wrong."

Gil ran a hand over his face. "We were making progress," he breathed out. "He wasn't terrified all the time. He even seemed happy. I don't understand what happened."

Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "Healing isn't linear. All the books we read said there would be setbacks. But we'll make it through. Together."

Gil turned his body towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, brushing his lips over hers and whispering, "We are both so lucky to have you."

They completed their bedtime routines and settled into bed, leaving the door open in expectation of nightmares from down the hall. Gil spooned up behind Jackie and wrapped an arm around her waist and they slowly drifted off into slumber.

A couple hours later a thump in the hall woke Gil. His eyes snapped open, immediately alert as he lay there for a moment, listening. No other noises drifted in, but alarm bells were going off on Gil's head. He quietly slipped out of bed and stepped out of the room, nearly tripping over Malcolm who was sitting on the floor outside their room, holding a broomstick across his lap.

"What..." Gil started, but even in the dimness of the hallway he could see the tears streaming down Malcolm's face. Gil dropped to the floor, sitting beside Malcolm and prying the stick from his white-knuckled grip then gripping both of his shoulders.

"Kid, you need to tell me what's wrong. Please." Gil pleaded, throat tightening with emotion as he tried to keep the tears at bay. "I promise you, I'll do anything I can to make it better. But I need to know what the problem is."

Malcolm's face crumpled as he finally gave into the sobs that he had been holding back all night. Gil pulled him against his chest, settling Malcolm in his lap as he gently rocked and made shushing noises as Malcolm completely broke down. Jackie came out at the noise and brought her hand to her mouth as she took in the scene before her.

Gil looked up at her, tears in his eyes, and she nodded at him, gently cupping his face before turning back into the bedroom, leaving her boys to find comfort in one another.

It took some time for Malcolm's breathing to settle enough to try to talk, and even then, his sentences came in fits and starts.

"He... He said that... That dad w-would kill you and J-Jackie," the statement set off a fresh wave of tears and Gil held him even tighter against his chest.

"Who said that, Malcolm?" 

"Ryan Montgomery."

"The little shit that hit you a few weeks ago?" Gil said, anger running cool through his veins.

Malcolm glanced up in surprise but nodded, lower lip trembling as he tried to hold in the fear and the sadness and the anxiety.

"He... He asked why I was s-smiling, and I... I said I was s-staying with you and Jackie f-for the weekend," Malcolm sniffled and squeezed his arms tighter around Gil's waist. "He s-said that I shouldn't get too u-used to it, because, because dad was j-just gonna k-kill you both. And it would be my f-fault."

Gil sighed and held Malcolm close, tamping down on his anger before answering the shaking boy in his arms.

"Malcolm, I need you to listen to me. This is important." Gil pulled Malcolm away from his chest so he could look him in the eye. "Your father is locked away and will never, ever hurt anyone ever again. I promise you that he is never going to kill me and Jackie. Okay?"

Malcolm still looked unsure, but seemed to be calming down a little.

"You know I've never lied to you, right?" Gil asked. Malcolm nodded and Gil continued, "I'm telling you the truth now. I promise you that your dad is not going to hurt us. Ever."

Malcolm's shuttering breaths and the new surge of tears were different than before. Gil could tell it was relief, this time, not fear, but he pulled Malcolm to his chest once again and started rocking once more, his own tears falling as he cradled the boy who was sitting guard outside their bedroom to keep them safe.

After a few minutes of comforting murmurs and a soothing hand running up and down Malcolm's back, Jackie quietly came out of the room and handed Gil a few tissues. Gil saw the tear tracks on her cheeks and knew that she had heard the conversation. He took the tissues with a watery smile before she headed into the bedroom once again.

Gil used the tissues to wipe Malcolm's eyes and nose, dropping them on the floor to deal with in the morning.

"Do you want to come sleep with me and Jackie tonight?" Gil asked.

Malcolm looked up at Gil hopefully. "Would that be okay?"

"Sure thing, kid. It's gonna be far more comfortable than this floor." Gil said agreeably, his heart feeling a little bit lighter at the small smile on Malcolm's face.

They got up together and headed into the bedroom, Malcolm biting his lip as he shuffled forward tentatively. But Jackie was already in bed and held her arms out to him. He climbed into the middle of the bed and let Jackie hold him tight as he cried a little more, the relief leaving him shaking and exhausted. Gil climbed in behind him and the three of them settled in, Malcolm taking Jackie's hand in his right and Gil's in his left, holding on tightly as a reminder that they were there.

It wasn't long until Malcolm was asleep, Jackie following soon after.

Gil laid awake for a while, keeping an eye on his family, making a silent promise to himself, to them, to the universe, that he would always keep them safe. 


End file.
